Real Madrid forward Vinícius Junior has called on football referees to provide greater protection for attacking players, citing himself, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Atletico Madrid’s Julián Álvarez as players who deserve better treatment on the pitch.

The Brazilian made the appeal after receiving a four-match ban on Wednesday following his dismissal during Real Madrid’s 1-0 La Liga victory over Villarreal on Saturday.

He was sent off for pulling an opponent’s hair.Speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca, Vinícius criticised the timing of the disciplinary decision, saying he was informed of the punishment upon arriving at the stadium.

He also questioned the communication of the rules, claiming that La Liga officials had failed to explain the specific regulation under which he was punished.

The 25-year-old insisted that he had never committed a violent act against another player, adding that he frequently suffers fouls but believes referees are quick to show him yellow cards.

Vinícius said referees should pay greater attention to protecting attacking players who bring creativity and excitement to the game.

He cited a statistic suggesting that he had suffered about 500 fouls but received five red cards, alongside numerous yellow cards, which he said he struggled to understand.

The Brazilian also named Barcelona’s Yamal and Atletico Madrid’s Álvarez as players who should receive similar protection from match officials.

Reflecting on his career at Real Madrid, Vinícius recalled joining the Spanish giants at the age of 18 when many critics doubted his goalscoring ability.

He said he had since silenced his critics by scoring more than 100 goals for the club.The forward’s comments have renewed attention on the treatment of attacking players and the consistency of refereeing decisions in Spanish football.